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A method for producing a metal powder product involves: Providing a supply
of a precursor metal powder; combining the precursor metal powder with a
liquid to form a slurry; feeding the slurry into a pulsating stream of
hot gas; and recovering the metal powder product.

[0002]This invention relates to metal powders in general and more
specifically to processes for producing metal powders.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Several different processes for producing powdered metal products
have been developed and are currently being used to produce metal powders
having certain characteristics, such as increased densities and increased
flowabilities, that are desirable in subsequent metallurgical processes,
such as, for example, sintering and plasma-spraying processes.

[0004]One process, known as plasma-based densification, involves
contacting a metal precursor material with a hot plasma jet. The hot
plasma jet liquefies and/or atomizes the metal in order to form small,
generally spherically shaped particles. The particles are then allowed to
re-solidify before being recovered. The resulting powdered metal product
is often characterized by having a high flowability and high density,
thereby making the powdered metal product desirable for use in subsequent
processes (e.g., sintering and plasma-spraying).

[0005]Unfortunately, however, plasma-based densification processes are not
without their drawbacks. For example, plasma-based densification
processes tend to be expensive to implement, are energy intensive, and
also suffer from comparatively low yields.

[0006]Another type of process, known as spray drying, involves a process
wherein a solution or slurry containing the desired metal is rapidly
dried to particulate form by atomizing the liquid in a hot atmosphere.
One type of spray drying process for producing a powdered metal product
utilizes a rotating atomizing disk provided in a heated process chamber.
A liquid precursor material (e.g., a slurry or solution) containing a
powdered metal material is directed onto the rotating disk. The liquid
precursor material is accelerated generally outwardly by the rotating
disk. The heated chamber speeds the evaporation of the liquid component
of the liquid precursor material as the same is accelerated outwardly by
the rotating disk. The resulting powdered metal end product is then
collected from a perimeter wall surrounding the rotating disk.

[0007]While the foregoing spray drying process is often used to form a
powdered metal product, it is not without its disadvantages. For example,
spray drying processes also tend to suffer from comparatively low yields
and typically result in a metal powder product having a lower density
than is possible with plasma-based densification processes. Spray drying
processes also involve fairly sizable apparatus (e.g., atomizing disks
having diameters on the order of 10 m) and are energy intensive. The
spray drying process also tends to be difficult to control, and it is not
unusual to encounter some degree of variability in the characteristics of
the powdered metal product, even though the process parameters remain the
same. Such variability further increases the difficulty in producing a
final powdered metal product having the desired characteristics.

[0008]Consequently, a need remains for a system capable of producing a
powdered metal end product having characteristics, such as high density
and high flowability, that make the powdered metal end product more
desirable for use in subsequent applications. Ideally, such a system
should be capable of producing increased yields of powdered metal end
product, while at the same time involving less complexity, energy, and
expense when compared to conventional processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009]A method for producing a metal powder product according to one
embodiment of the invention may comprise: Providing a supply of a
precursor metal powder; combining the precursor metal powder with a
liquid to form a slurry; feeding the slurry into a pulsating stream of
hot gas; and recovering the metal powder product.

[0010]Also disclosed is a metal powder product comprising agglomerated
metal particles having a Hall flowability of less than about 30 seconds
for 50 grams.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]Illustrative and presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the
invention are shown in the drawings in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a flowchart depicting a method according to the
invention(s) hereof;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a pulse combustion system which may be
used in and/or with the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 is another flowchart depicting an alternative method
according hereto;

[0015]FIG. 4 is yet another flowchart depicting a further alternative
method according hereto;

[0016]FIG. 5 is still another flowchart depicting yet one further
alternative method according hereto;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a graph showing the results of the practice of a method
according hereto; and,

[0018]FIG. 7 is a graph showing the results of the practice of a method
according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019]A method 10 for producing a metal powder product is illustrated in
FIG. 1 and comprises providing a supply of precursor metal powder and
mixing the precursor metal powder with a liquid to form a slurry at step
12. The slurry is then fed into a pulsating stream of hot gas 14. In one
embodiment, the pulsating stream of hot gas is produced by a pulse
combustion system 100 (FIG. 2). The metal powder product is then
recovered at step 16. As will be described in greater detail below, the
recovered metal powder product comprises agglomerations of smaller
particles having higher densities and higher flowabilities when compared
to metal powders produced by conventional spray drying processes.

[0020]More specifically, a basic process hereof first includes the
formation of a slurry at step 12 containing the precursor metal powder.
In a typical example, the precursor metal powder is mixed with a liquid
(e.g., water) to form the slurry, although other liquids, such as
alcohols, volatile liquids, and organic liquids, may be used. In one
embodiment, the liquid component of the slurry comprises a water and
binder mixture which may initially be created by mixing together a
binder, such as, for example, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and water. The
precursor metal powder, such as, for example, a molybdenum powder (see
the Examples set forth below), is then be added to the water/binder
mixture to form the slurry.

[0021]It should be noted, however, that it may be necessary or desirable
to pre-heat the liquid mixture before adding the precursor metal powder
in order to ensure that the binder is fully dissolved in the liquid
"carrier." The particular temperatures involved may depend to some degree
on the particular liquid carrier (e.g., water) and binder (e.g., PVA)
selected. Therefore, the present invention should not be regarded as
limited to any particular temperature or range of temperatures for
pre-heating the liquid mixture. However, by way of example, in one
embodiment, the liquid mixture may be pre-heated to a temperature in a
range of about 35.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.

[0022]The slurry may comprise between about 60 to about 99 wt. % solids,
such as about 60% to about 90% wt. % solids, and more preferably about
80% wt. % solids. The slurry may comprise between about 1 to about 40 wt.
% liquid, such as about 10 to about 40 wt. % liquid, and more preferably
about 20 wt. % liquid. The liquid component may comprise about 0.01 to
about 5 wt. % binder, such as about 0.4 to about 0.9 wt. % binder, and
more preferably about 0.7 wt. % binder. In one embodiment, the slurry
comprises about 80 wt. % solids and about 20 wt. % liquid, of which about
0.7 wt. % is binder. The precursor metal powder may have sizes in a range
of about sub-micron sizes (e.g., from about 0.25 .mu.m to about 100
.mu.m, such as about 1 .mu.m to about 20 .mu.m, and more preferably in a
size range of about 5 .mu.m to about 6 .mu.m.

[0023]The slurry is then fed into a pulse combustion system 100 (FIG. 2)
whereupon the slurry impinges a stream of hot gas (or gases), which are
pulsed at or near sonic speeds. The sonic pulses of hot gas contact the
slurry and drive-off substantially all of the water and form the metal
powder product. The temperature of the pulsating stream of hot gas may be
in a range of about 300.degree. C. to about 800.degree. C., such as about
427.degree. C. to about 677.degree. C., and more preferably about
600.degree. C., although other temperatures may be used depending on the
particular precursor metal powder being processed. Generally speaking,
the temperature of the pulsating stream of hot gas is below the melting
point of the precursor metal powder being processed. In addition, the
precursor metal powder in the slurry is usually not in contact with the
hot gases long enough to transfer a significant amount of heat to the
metal powder. For example, in a typical embodiment, it is estimated that
the slurry mixture is generally heated to a temperature in the range of
about 93.degree. C. to about 121.degree. C. during contact with the
pulsating stream of hot gas.

[0024]As will be described in greater detail herein, the resulting metal
powder product comprises agglomerations of smaller particles that are
substantially solid (i.e., non-hollow), and generally spherical in shape.
Accordingly, the agglomerations may be generally characterized as "soccer
balls formed of `BBs`." In addition, the metal powder product comprises a
high density and is highly flowable when compared to conventional metal
powders produced by conventional processes. For example, molybdenum metal
powders produced in accordance with the teachings herein may have Scott
densities in a range of about 1 g/cc to about 4 g/cc, such as about 2.6
g/cc to about 2.9 g/cc. Hall flowabilities range from less than about 30
s/50 g to as low as 20-23 s/50 g for molybdenum metal.

[0025]With reference now primarily to FIG. 1, the method or process 10 for
producing a metal powder product may comprise the making or forming of a
slurry at step 12. Then, this slurry is exposed to a pulsating stream of
hot gases at step 14, which yields desirable metal powder product at 16.
The basic process is indicated by the solid line connection arrows 11 and
15 as opposed to the optional alternative process flows indicated by the
dashed line arrows and boxes, generally identified by reference numerals
33-39, which are described below.

[0026]With reference now to FIG. 2, the pulsating stream of hot gases may
be produced by a pulse combustion system 100 of the type that is
well-known in the art and readily commercially available. By way of
example, in one embodiment, the pulse combustion system 100 may comprise
a pulse combustion system available from Pulse Combustion Systems of San
Rafael, Calif., 94901. Initially, air may be fed (e.g., pumped) through
an inlet 21 into the outer shell 20 of the pulse combustion system 100 at
low pressure, whereupon it flows through a unidirectional air valve 22.
The air then enters a tuned combustion chamber 23 where fuel is added via
fuel valves or ports 24. The fuel-air mixture is then ignited by a pilot
25, creating a pulsating stream of hot gases which may be pressurized to
a variety of pressures, e.g., about 2,000 Pa (3 psi) above the combustion
fan pressure. The pulsating stream of hot gases rushes down the tailpipe
26 toward the atomizer 27. Just above the atomizer 27, quench air may be
fed through an inlet 28 and may be blended with the hot combustion gases
in order to attain a pulsating stream of hot gases having the desired
temperature. The slurry is introduced into the pulsating stream of hot
gases via the atomizer 27. The atomized slurry may then disperse in the
conical outlet 30 in a general (though not necessarily) conical form 31
and thereafter enter a conventional tall-form drying chamber (not shown).
Further downstream, the metal powder product may be recovered using
standard collection equipment, such as cyclones and/or baghouses (also
not shown).

[0027]In pulsed operation, the air valve 22 is cycled open and closed to
alternately let air into the combustion chamber 23 and close for the
combustion thereof. In such cycling, the air valve 22 may be reopened for
a subsequent pulse just after the previous combustion episode. The
reopening then allows a subsequent air charge to enter. The fuel valve 24
then re-admits fuel, and the mixture auto-ignites in the combustion
chamber 23, as described above. This cycle of opening and closing the air
valve 22 and combusting the fuel in the chamber 23 in a pulsing fashion
may be controllable at various frequencies, e.g., from about 80 Hz to
about 110 Hz, although other frequencies may also be used.

[0028]The pulse combustion system 100 thus provides a pulsating stream of
hot gases into which is fed the slurry comprising the precursor metal
powder. The contact zone and contact time are very short, the time of
contact often being on the order of a fraction of a microsecond. Thus,
the physical interactions of hot gas, sonic waves, and slurry produces
the metal powder product. More specifically, the liquid component of the
slurry is substantially removed or driven away by the sonic (or near
sonic) pulse waves of hot gas. The short contact time also ensures that
the slurry components are minimally heated, e.g., to levels on the order
of about 93.degree. C. to about 121.degree. C. at the end of the contact
time, temperatures which are sufficient to evaporate the liquid
component, but are not near the melting point of the metal contained in
the slurry.

[0029]In this process, some quantity of the liquid component (e.g.,
binder) remains in the resulting agglomerations of the metal powder
product. The resulting powders may have this remaining binder driven off
(e.g., partially or entirely), by a subsequent heating step 34. Generally
speaking, heating step 34 is conducted at a temperature that is below the
melting point of the metal powder product, thereby yielding a
substantially pure (i.e., free of binder) metal powder product. It may
also be noted that the agglomerations of the metal powder product
preferably retain their shapes (in many cases, though not necessarily,
substantially spherical), even after the binder is removed by heating
step 34. Flowability data (Hall data) in heated and/or green forms are
available (heated being after binder removal, green being pre-removal),
as described relative to the Examples below.

[0030]Note further that in some instances, a variety of sizes of
agglomerated products may be produced during this process, and it may be
desirable to further separate or classify the metal powder product into a
metal powder product having a size range within a desired product size
range. For example, for molybdenum powder, sieve sizes of -200 to +325
U.S. Tyler mesh provide a metal powder product within a desired product
size range of about 44 .mu.m to 76 .mu.m. A process hereof may yield a
substantial percentage of product in this desired product size range;
however, there may be remainder products, particularly the smaller
products, outside the desired product size range which may be recycled
through the system, see step 36, though liquid (e.g., water and binder)
would again have to be added to create an appropriate slurry composition.
Such recycling is shown as an optional alternative (or additional) step
or steps in FIG. 1. These steps are shown particularly as the separation
or screening step 33 with or without the additional heating and/or
screening steps 34, 35 which may then feed any out-sized products (i.e.,
products either smaller or larger than the desired product size range)
back to the recycling step 36, which in turn feeds back to the formation
of a slurry step 12 as shown by arrow line 37. Alternatively, the results
of the recycling step 36 can be the creation of or feed into alternative
processes for the creation of other end products, see step 38 as fed
thereby down arrow 39. These steps are shown also in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 (in
solid line form), and yet may be alternatives (as in FIG. 1) or may be
primary steps in any one or more of the processes according hereto. Note,
though not shown, the recycling process 36 can alternatively involve the
feeding of one or more appropriate portions of the metal powder product
of the combustion forming process back to the starting material step 40,
see description thereof below, for in one example, size reduction by
comminuting or jet milling.

[0031]The products hereof are also distinctive, as the powder particles in
the post processing stage (i.e., after the hot gas contact step 14) are
larger (i.e., plus or minus ten times (+/-10.times.) larger) than the
starting materials (e.g., 5-6 .mu.m for the precursor metal product vs.
44-76 .mu.m for the metal powder product), but are combined in a manner
not involving the melting of the precursor metal powder. Thus, the metal
powder product comprises combinations or agglomerations of large numbers
of smaller particles, each agglomeration being characterizable as a
"soccer ball formed of `BBs.`"

[0032]Still further, it may be noted that additional pre- and/or
post-processing steps may be added in some instances. For example, the
precursor powder to be fed into the system may want some pre-processing
to achieve a particular desired pre-processing size. Some such additional
alternative steps are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, wherein the respective
alternative processes 10a, 10b and 10c show the initial obtaining of a
starting material at step 40, and from there either delivering this
directly to the slurry making step, see arrow 41, or screening or jet
milling the starting material, per steps 42 and/or 44 via alternative
paths 43 and/or 45. As described further in the Examples below, a known,
readily available precursor molybdenum powder having a size of about
14-15 .mu.m may be used, though this may be preliminarily jet milled, see
step 44, to the 5-6 .mu.m size described herein.

[0033]FIGS. 4 and 5 present some additional alternative method steps which
may provide additional utility and/or greater practicality. First, as
shown in FIG. 4, three alternative additional steps for transportation,
i.e., steps 46, 47 and 48, are shown. The purpose hereof may be based on
the issue of the availability of pulse combustion system. More
particularly, it may be necessary or desirable to transport the "raw"
starting materials to the site of the pulse combustion system 100, per
step 46, prior to the accomplishment of the other steps of the procedure.
Note, it could also be that the slurry could be made at a location remote
from the site of the pulse combustion system 100 as well so that the step
46 would instead be disposed between the "make slurry" step 12 and the
"feed slurry into pulsating stream" step 14. A transport step 47 may then
also be performed after the spraying step 14 is completed as is also
shown by step 47 in FIG. 4. Then, any screening and/or heating, e.g.,
steps 33, 34, 35, could be performed if desired before achieving a metal
powder product at step 16; although it is possible that such
post-processing steps could alternatively be performed on site and thus
the transport step 47 performed thereafter. If recycling is desired, a
transport step 48 can be used to move recyclable powder particles back to
the site of the pulse combustion system 100 to be re-formed into a slurry
and re-introduced into the pulsating stream of hot gas. FIG. 5 adds two
additional alternative steps 50 and 51 which provide for recycling, step
50, and/or screening, step 51, on-site at the location of the pulse
combustion system 100.

[0034]It should be noted that the methods and apparatus described herein
could be used to form a wide range of metal powder products from any of a
wide range of precursor metal powders, including for example,
substantially "pure" metals (e.g., any of a wide range of eutectic
metals, non-eutectic metals and refractory metals), as well as mixtures
thereof (e.g., metal alloys), understanding that in any alternative
cases, certain modifications may be necessary (e.g., in temperatures,
binders, ratios, etc.). This may be particularly so for either for the
lower melting point materials as well as for the refractory metals
(having high melting points). Thus, differing mixture quantities (solids
to water to binder) and/or differing temperatures and/or feed speeds may
be desirably and/or necessarily established. Otherwise, the processes
and/or products may be substantially similar to those described here.
Moreover, even though some metals or other dense materials may have
relatively low melting points, it may also still be that the processes
hereof may yet be productive therewith as well in that the extremely
short contact times may be sufficient to create end-products without
melting, or at least without an undesirable degree of melting (e.g.,
melting may be allowable if some degree of melting were followed by
sufficiently quick cooling and/or re-solidification prior to either
extreme agglomeration or sticking within the machinery). Different
binders and/or suspension agents (i.e., alternatives to water) may also
be found within the overall processes hereof, though again, perhaps
indicating other changes in parameters (ratios, temperatures, speeds, for
example).

EXAMPLES

[0035]Several examples according hereto have been run using molybdenum
powder as a precursor metal powder having a size in a range of about 5-6
.mu.m. As described herein, the first step involves the formation of a
slurry at step 12, see FIGS. 1 and 3-5. In this instance, a water and
binder mixture was first created. The resulting mixture was then heated
to a temperature of about 71.degree. C. (about 160.degree. F.) to provide
a desirable dispersion of binder in water, the binder in this first
example being polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The mixture was heated until the
mixture was clear. The molybdenum precursor metal powder, comprising
particles in a size range of about 5-6 .mu.m, was then added to the
heated water/binder mixture (which may be cooled before or during the
adding of metal) and stirred to form a slurry comprising about 80 wt. %
solids to about 20 wt. % water and binder liquids with an approximate 0.1
to about 1.0 wt. % of the total being binder (i.e., about 19 wt. % to
about 19.9 wt. % water); about 0.4 wt. % to about 0.8 wt. % binder being
preferred as described further below.

[0036]This slurry was then fed into a pulse combustion system 100
manufactured by Pulse Combustion Systems of San Rafael, Calif. 94901. The
particular pulse combustion system 100 used had a thermal capacity of
about 30 kW (about 100,000 BTU/hr) at an evaporation rate of about 18
kg/hour (about 40 lb/hour), whereupon the slurry was contacted by
combustion gases produced by the pulse combustion system at step 14. The
temperature of the pulsating stream of hot gases in this example was in
the range of about 427.degree. C. to about 677.degree. C. (about
1050.degree. F. to about 1250.degree. F.). The pulsating stream of hot
gases produced by the pulse combustion system 100 substantially drove-off
the water to form the metal powder product. The contact zone and contact
time were very short, the contact zone on the order of about 5.1 cm
(about 2 inches) and the time of contact being on the order of 0.2
microseconds in this example.

[0037]The resulting metal powder product comprised agglomerations of
smaller particles that were substantially solid (i.e., not hollow) and
having generally spherical shapes. The metal powder product also had a
comparatively high density and flowability when compared with
conventional powders formed by conventional processes.

[0038]In this example, for molybdenum powder, the desired product size
range was about 44 .mu.m to about 76 .mu.m, corresponding to sieve sizes
of -200 to +325 U.S. Tyler mesh. The process yielded approximately 30 wt.
% in this desired product size range. Metal powder product outside this
size range was then recycled through the system with additional water and
binder added to create the appropriate slurry composition. See FIGS. 1
and 3-5. Expanding the desired product size range somewhat, this example
produced about 50 wt. % particles in sieve sizes of -100 to +325 U.S.
Tyler mesh.

[0039]Note, pre- and/or post-procedures were also performed for these
examples. Firstly, a known, readily available precursor molybdenum powder
having particle sizes of about 14-15 .mu.m was used, so it was first
preliminarily jet milled, at step 44, to the 5-6 .mu.m size described
above. Also, the resulting metal powder product had remainder binder
driven off (partially or entirely), by subsequent heating, see step 34,
to about 1300.degree. C. for molybdenum, which is still below the melting
point of molybdenum. Post-processing screening was also performed to
obtain the preferred mesh/sieve sizes. Smaller remainder products were,
as mentioned, recycled.

[0040]The results of four exemplar runs according to this process are
shown in FIG. 6, here arbitrarily designated as Recipes A, B, C and D.
All four of these exemplar recipes were slurries made of about 80 wt. %
solids (metal powders) and about 20 wt. % liquids, the variations being
in the amount of binder; Recipe A having 0.5 wt. % PVA binder; Recipe
B--0.6 wt. % PVA; Recipe C--0.7 wt. % PVA and Recipe D having 0.8 wt. %
PVA; the remainders of the liquid portion being water. Then, what is
shown for all four recipes run using the methods described herein are
first very small amounts of large-size agglomerations, see the three
left-hand columns representing U.S. Tyler mesh sizes +140; -140/+170; and
-170/+200. The cumulative amounts of these large-size agglomerations are
between about 2 and 10 percent of the total powders made for each batch.
Next, in the three middle columns representing mesh sizes -200/+230;
-230/+270; and -270/+325, are the accumulations of agglomerations in the
sizes desired for the end-product molybdenum powders. The amounts of the
desirable accumulations shown by these four examples are in the range of
about 15 wt. % to about 30 wt. %. Recipe A provides the smaller amount,
progressing through about 20 wt. % for Recipe B, about 25 wt. % for
Recipe C and about 30 wt. % for Recipe D. Note, these accumulations are
varied substantially directly based upon the differing amounts of binder
added to the initial slurries. The last two columns reflect the amounts
of smaller particles, agglomerations and/or un-reacted or substantially
un-reacted metal powder elements passed through the process (between
about 62 wt. % and about 82 wt. % in these examples). The highest binder
content of these four samples, Recipe D, provides the largest realization
percentage of desirable agglomerations. However, Recipe D also provides
the highest amount of too-large agglomerations as well as the smallest
amount of un-reacted particles. The lowest binder content (Recipe A)
provided the least desirable size products, but also the least too-large
agglomerations as well as the most un-reacted or substantially un-reacted
particles. Based on the data for Recipes A, B, C, and D, it appears that
a binder quantity of approximately between about 0.7-0.8 wt. % (e.g.,
about 0.75 wt. %) may provide one desirable optimization between
desirable yields with favorable recyclability and satisfactory
accumulations of the too-large agglomerations.

[0041]As mentioned, the larger binder quantity provides the larger amounts
of oversized agglomerations, almost 10 wt. % for Recipe D. The smaller,
un-reacted, or not quite large enough agglomerations can be simply
recycled per step 36 in FIGS. 1 and 3-5.

[0042]In contrast, a typical conventional spray-drying method produced a
powdered molybdenum metal product having the characteristics illustrated
in FIG. 7. Briefly, the conventional spray-drying method involved a
rotating atomizer disk contained in a heated atmosphere at a temperature
of about 315.degree. C. A slurry containing powdered molybdenum metal was
then directed onto the rotating disk, whereupon it was accelerated
generally outwardly by the rotating disk, the heated atmosphere serving
to dry the molybdenum powder before being collected. As illustrated in
FIG. 7, two batches of molybdenum metal powder are depicted as providing
between about 52% and 57% of agglomerations in the first four columns
thereof; these four columns providing oversized, large agglomerations
outside the desired product size range. These also represent a
substantial number of the hollow spheres described as a problem above.
Moreover, the larger sizes also represent large wastes of binder.
Further, this prior art process shows a bimodal operation in dropping to
lower production amounts of the desired sizes, see the -200/+250 and the
-250/+325 columns (although these two columns still account for product
in the range of about 30% of the total), with small amounts of much
smaller particles, see the -325/+400 and -400 column sizes.

[0043]Moreover, density and flow data are also favorable in the powders of
the present invention. The respective batches 1 and 2 of the prior art
process for forming molybdenum powders (whose sieve size results are
shown in FIG. 7) had respective measured densities of about 1.8 and 1.9
g/cc on the Scott scale (the +325 powders being used for the density
determinations). Additionally, the Hall flowability was on the order of
about 50 s/50 g (50 seconds for the movement of 50 grams through a 0.1
inch orifice); batch 2 presenting about 53 seconds/50 g (again, the +325
powders being used for the flow determinations).

[0044]In comparison, the results of the four exemplar recipes of the
present invention, on the other hand, presented higher densities of
between about 2.75 and 2.9 g/cc apparent on the Scott scale; Recipe D
having 2.75 g/cc; Recipe C--2.76 g/cc; Recipe B--2.83 g/cc; and Recipe
A--2.87 g/cc; and, between about 2.67 and 2.78 g/cc apparent on the Scott
scale; Recipe D having 2.67 g/cc; Recipe C--2.71 g/cc; Recipe B--2.77
g/cc; and Recipe A--2.78 g/cc. These greater densities of the present
invention may be due primarily to the lack of hollow spheres as are found
in the prior art spray-drying processes. Moreover, such densities are
favored because this means more metal is available in a given volume of
powder; more metal to be more efficiently used in any subsequent process
using the end product powder hereof (as in coating processes, for
example).

[0045]Furthermore, the Hall flowability results of the powders of the
current invention also indicated a highly flowable metal powder product,
ranging from about 20 s/50 g to about 22.3 s/50/g; more particularly,
Recipe A--20.00 s/50 g; Recipe B--20.33 s/50 g; Recipe C--21.97 s/50 g;
and Recipe D--22.28 s/50 g. These much faster flow rates also mean
greater efficiency in any use of the metal powder product of the present
invention.

[0046]It may also be noted that these data from the runs of Recipes A-D
and the prior art batches 1 and 2 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 as well as the
density and flow data above), was derived from the end product powders
emerging from the pulse combustion machinery in green form (e.g., before
performing optional heating step 34). Nevertheless, subsequent heating
(e.g., at optional step 34) does not affect these results in any
substantial way. The prior art spray-drying process still results in
bi-modal outputs with substantially insignificant changes in density or
flowability, while the present process continues to present Gaussian
yield distributions with no significant changes in density or
flowability.

[0047]In sum, the charts of FIGS. 6 and 7 and these density and
flowability data show some of the advantages of the present invention.
First, there is a bimodal distribution with conventional spray drying,
see FIG. 7 and the above description. Although this bimodal distribution
does partially land within the wanted material area, the present
invention provides material that is Gaussian in the wanted area and not
bi-modal, see FIG. 6. The distribution of the present invention may also
be viewed as having a second curve (though it could still be considered
Gaussian as shown here) outside the desired mesh sizes for the smaller
particles; however, this second or extension of the curve representing
the less than desirable end-product is comprised of substantially
un-reacted material. This is unlike the non-Gaussian/bi-modal
conventional spray drying process that rather demonstrates the yielding
of material that is completely reacted, and too large for recycling.
Moreover, the data from Recipes A-D show that the Gaussian curve in the
wanted product region may be easily moved using different binder
quantities. The chart of FIG. 6 shows that using higher levels of binder
yields more reacted product and a shifting of the reacted product toward
larger particles, see particularly Recipe D. The present invention also
results in tighter yield distribution. This is a tighter distribution
curve in usable area compared to bimodal curve from traditional spray
drying of molybdenum.

[0048]Additionally, there are several advantages in the usual preferred
reduction of the binder content in the present invention compared to
conventional spray drying processes. Conventional spray drying generally
uses about 1 wt. % binder compared to some of the preferred amounts of
between about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.9 wt. %, including the 0.5 wt. % to
0.8 wt. % demonstrated ranges for molybdenum powder -200/+325 U.S. Tyler
mesh. Indeed, often the higher binder amounts in the area of 1 wt. % can
provide less desirable stickiness in the present process impacting
flowability among other effects. Still furthermore, this lower binder
content of the present invention processes yields higher purity products
in the finished product powders due to fewer impurities being introduced
at the beginning. Thus, the end-product materials produced here are of
higher qualities/purities and have improved properties compared to those
produced using conventional spray drying. The data shows flow time
decreases (i.e., speedier flow rates equals decreased flow times) and
density increases (no or at least substantially less hollow
agglomerations) compared to conventional spray dried material.

[0049]Having herein set forth preferred embodiments of the present
invention, it is anticipated that suitable modifications can be made
thereto which will nonetheless remain within the scope of the invention.
The invention shall therefore only be construed in accordance with the
following claims: